Anchor plate puller



Nov. 3, 1964 A. E. L oRcH ETAL 3,155,371

ANCHOR PLATE PULLER Filed Aug. 17. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 3, 1964 A.E. LoRcH ETAL 3,155,371

ANCHOR PLATE FULLER4 Filed Aug. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent O 3,155,371 ANCHR PLATE FULLER Allen E. Lorch, 5120 Lincoln Ave.,Los Angeles 42, Calif., and Roy A. Rawson, 6239 Allston St., Los Angeles22, Calif.

Filed Aug. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 217,754 3 Claims. (Cl. 254-24) Thisinvention relates to gripping and pulling devices and more particularlyto a device adapted to pull anchor plates off from the ioors of railwaycars.

In order to secure heavy articles to the floors of railway cars in whichthey are being shipped anchor plates are frequently nailed or spiked tosuch floors, and when the shipper is -through with using such plates itis desirable that they be removed. Owing to the secure manner in whichthe plates are nailed or spiked to the car iioors this is a diflicultoperation to perform. Hence it is an important object of the presentinvention to provide a tool for quickly and efciently doing what hashitherto been a difficult, tedious operation.

Although, as aforesaid, the invention is particularly intended to beused as an anchor plate puller, it is by no means limited to such use,but can be used in a variety of situations Where powerful gripping andpulling operations are required.

An object of the invention is t'o provide a more sturdily built grippingand pulling device wherein great leverage may be safely applied to apair of powerful gripping jaws without danger of breaking the tool.

A more specic object is to provide an improved cornbination of grippingjaws, mounting means for said jaws, and means for forcibly causingrollers to act upon cam surfaces on said jaws to force them to grippingposition.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention willhereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrative of a preferred,reduced to practice embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the complete device positioned with theoperating lever directed toward the observer.

FlG. 2 is a side elevation looking at the device, as shown in FIG. 1,from right to left.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section on line 3--3 of FIG. 1, on a somewhat largerscale.

FiG. 4 is a partly sectional and partly elevational, larger scale viewof the applicator end portion of the tool, the line 4 4 on FlG. 2indicating the plane of the sectioned portion of the View.

.,FIG. 5 is a transverse section on a still larger scale, the plane ofthe sectioned portion of the view being indicated by the line 5 5 onFlG. 1.

In FIG. 6 the lower end portion of FIG. 1 is reproduced on an enlargedscale, parts of the device nearest to the observer being removed todisclose underlying structure. Inthis view the gripping portions of thejaws are shown nearerto each other with a plate gripped between them.

FIG. 7 is a large scale, elevational View illustrating the leveroperated means for retracting the carriage upon which are mounted therollers which actuate the gripping jaws. The two pawls shown in thisView are in engagement with the ratchet upon which they act.

FlG. 8 is, for the most part, a reproduction of the showing of FlG 7,but the pawls are disengaged from the rack.

FIG. 9 is a sectional detail on line 97-9 of FIG; 7.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section on line 1li-lil of FIG. 7, parts below theplane of section being omitted.

FIG. 1l is a perspective illustrating the means whereby 3,155,371Patented Nov. 3, 1964 ice articles are secured -to the floors 'ofrailway cars to hold them in place during transit.

FIG. 12 is an eleva-tion illustrating how the device is used to withdrawan anchor plate from a car floor.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and mentioning rst the mainfeatures of .the structure shown, the device comprises a hollow bar 15,which forms a part 'of a member which may be described as of an invertedT- shape, owing to the fact that it has bolted to its jaw carrying endportion a pair of transversely extending plates 16; a pair of grippingjaws 17 having arms 18 provided internally with cam faces; a pair ofrollers 19 which act upon said cam faces; a carriage 20 upon which saidrollers are mounted, said carriage being slidable along the bar l5; andlever operable means for retracting said carriage illustrated in FIGS.7, 8 and 9, retracting said carriage causing said rollers to act uponthe aforesaid carn faces and thus swing the jaws toward grippingposition.

The invention resides principally in the structure illustrated in FIGS.3, 4, 5 and 6, but also in part in the lever operable carriageretracting means.

By preference and as shown, the bar 15 is made of a very thick sheetmetal and is rectangular in cross-section. The cross plates 16 abuttlatwise against the opposite narrower sides of said bar and are securedthereto by bolts 21 and 22, the latter bolt extending through ears 23projecting from the mid-length portions of the plates. Said plates arethus firmly secured to the bar, and form a good means for mounting thejaws 17, which are positioned between the plates and are swingablyfastened to them by means of bolts 24.

A tension spring 25 an each side of the device tends to swing the jawsto open position. Clips 25a fasten the end portions of these springs tothe end portions of bolts 26 which pass through the jaws.

Each of the aforesaid jaw arms is tapered, but is of a sturdy characterto bear severe strain. Each jaw arm is provided internally with anarcuate cam surface 31 upon which one or the other of the rollers actswhen the carriage 2i) is retracted to swing the jaws toward the grippmgpos1tion.

The already mentioned slidably mounted carriage 20 comprises a pair ofparallel, spaced apart, flat plates 32, said plates being secured toeach other by bolts'33 and pins 33a, said bolts also serving topivotally mount the rollers 19. Said plates are shown recessed at 34 soas, at times, to accommodate the ears 23 of plate 16.

The means for retracting the carriage 30 comprises t four metal straps36 which, as is to be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, have their lower endportions attached to the end por-tions of the aforesaid bolts 33, theupper end portion of each of said straps being twisted through a rightangle to adapt it for being bolted to one of the four flange portions 37of a rectangular in cross-section sleeve 3S which is movable along thebar 15. In FIG. 10 the bolts 38a which pass through the upper endportions of the straps are shown carrying anti-friction rollers 38b and38C which facilitate the movement of the sleeve 38 along the bar 15.

Said sleeve 38 carries, preferably integral therewith, a pair of spacedapart flanges 39 between which, upon a pivot bolt 39a, is swingablymounted an operating lever 43 which, in turn, is connected by a pair oflinks 41, to a driving lever 42 which operates pawls, next to bedescribed, which act upon ratchet teeth 15a to retract theV sleeve 33along the rod 15. Said lever 42 swings upon a bolt 42a.

Said lever 42 has swingably secured to it, and acted powerfully upon byit, a downwardly directed main pawl 45. With this pawl co-operates aholding pawl 46 which also co-operates with the'rack 15a, to preventretraction of the bar l5, after it has been acted upon by the main pawl45. A tension spring 47, one portion of which is coiled around the boltd3, and another portion of which is coiled around the aforesaid bolt42a, is so mounted that one of its end portions normally tends to swingthe main pawl d into engagement with the rack while its opposite endportion tends to swing the holding pawl against the rack.

The linlrage 4l, which connects the operating lever d@ with the drivinglever 42, is connected with the operating lever nearer to its fulcrumthan it is to the fulcrum or" the driving lever, so as to exert apowerful leverage upon the latter lever.

The pawl adjusting means comprises a cam carrying lever 50 (see FIGS. 7and 8) swingably mounted on a pin 5l between the lower portions of anges39. This lever co-operates with a pawl control plate 52, swingable upona pin 53. A tension spring 5d causes said pawl control plate to opposemovement of said lever from the position of FiG. 8 to the position ofFIG. 7. One end of this spring is secured to the pin 51 and its oppositeend is secured to an ear 52e on the plate S2. At its upper end saidplate 52 carries a finger 56 which acts upon a pin 57 carried by theholding pawl 46, and has a cam surface which engages a pin 59 carried bythe driving pawl 45, to release the latter pawl.

When the cam carrying lever Si) is swung from the position of FlG. 8 tothe position of FIG. 7 it will allow both the spring loaded pawls 45 and46 to come into engagement with the rack lSa, so that repeatedlydownswinging the levers 40 and 42 will move the sleeve 38 upwardly, andby means of the metal straps 36 will draw the rollers 33 upwardlycausing them to act upon the cam surfaces of the jaw arms 18 in such amanner as forcibly to move the jaws toward gripping position. The teethl5@ upon which the pawls act are formed in an inexpensive manner byproviding one wall of the sheet metal tube with a series ofindentations.

in FIGS. 6 and l2 an anchor plate dll is shown, the latter viewillustrating how said plate is withdrawn from the car floor 61 eventhough secured thereto by spikes 62.

ln PEG. l1 a box 64 is shown secured by straps 65 to lthe anchor plates6d. After the boX has been removed the device will be used asillustrated in FlG. l2 to remove the anchor plates.

The plate gripping part of each jaw is shown provided with an acutelyangular recess 67 positioned to engage the anchor plates as illustratedin FIG. l2. These recesses co-operate with the arcuate exterior jawsurfaces to pull 'oil anchor plates when the applied tool is swung asillustrated in FIG.V12. The plate being pulled ofi abnts the inner wallof each of said angular recesses and is thus positively held againstsliding in relation to the jaws.

When the cam lever Sd is in the down position of FiG. 8 the pawls aredisengaged from the rack, and consequently the rods 36 together withtheir mounting means and the jaw carrying carriage Ztl are renderedfreely movable downwardly along the tubular bar l5 to a position forgripping an anchor plate 64) as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and l2. rhen,after swinging the cam lever up to the position shown in FIG. V7, theworkman will operate the lever dil to cause the jaws forcibly to gripthe anchor plate to be pulled oil, preparatory to; operating the tool asillustratedjin FG. l2. j it will be observed that the angular recesses67 inthe gripping Vjaws cro-operate with the' outer surfaces of the.'aws to form acutel an ular 'aw corners adapted to be l f g J i wedgeunder opposite edgeV portions 'of the plates to be pulled oil.

Although we have illustrated and described what is deemed to be apreferred embodiment of the invention, yet it is to be understood thatvarious changes, within the scope of the appended claims, may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

l. A tool of the kind described comprising an elongated member of aninverted T-shape, a jaw swingably carried by each arm of the T andswingable in the same plane as the stem of the T, said jaws havinggripping end portions positioned to engage in axial alignment with saidstem and slightly spaced away from the jaw carrying end thereof, acarriage slidably mounted on said member between portions of said jaws,two rollers carried by said carriage, each of said jaws having a camsurface engaged by one or the other of said rollers to swing thegripping end portions of said jaws toward each other, and lever operatedmeans carried by the bar and operatively related to said carriage toretract it and thereby cause said rollers to force said jaws towardgripping position, said rollers at all times occupying a protectedposition between said jaws.

2. A tool of the lrind described comprising an elongated member or" aninverted T-shape, a jaw swingably carried by each arm of the T andswingably in the same plane as is occupied by the stem of the T, saidjaws having gripping end portions positioned to engage objects in axialalignment with said stem arid slightly spaced away from the jaw-carryingend thereof, a carriage slidably mounted on said member, said carriagecomprising a pair of parallel, spaced apart plates each slidablyoverlying in a llatwise manner one side ol' said member, bolts bridgingthe space between said plates and having end portions projectingoutwardly from them, rollers turnably mounted on said bolts between saidplates, said jaws having cam portions spaced from said gripping endportions upon which said rollers act to move said gripping end portionstoward the gripping position, a sleeve slidably mounted on saidelongated member in a spaced relation to said carriage, tractionconnections linking said sleeve with the aforesaid projecting endportions or said bolts, and means carried by said sleeve and acting onsaid elongated member to retract said sleeve together with said tractionconnections, thus to also retract said carriage and cause said rollersto swing the jaws toward gripping position.

3. A tool of the kind described comprising a bar having side portionsalong one of which is a rack, a sleeve slidably mounted on said bar, adriving pawl and a holding pawl carried by said sleeve in an operativerelation to said rack, a driving lever connected with said sleeve andoperatively connected with both of said pawls, an operating leverconnected with said sleeve and linked to said driving lever by linkageconnected nearer to the fulcrum of the "er" loperating lever than to thefulcrum of the driving lever so asto impart additional leverage to thelatter lever and more forcibly cause said driving pawl to act upon therack, a pair ot gripping jaws carried by an end portion o said bar andconsiderably spaced away from said sleeve, a carriage mounted slidablyon said bar adjacent to said jaws, rollers mounted on said carriage,said jaws having cam faces engageable with said rollers so that thelatter may be utilized to move the jaws toward gripping position whensaid carriage is moved farther away from that end portion of the barupon which the jaws are mounted,

' tractionV connections linking said sleeve to said carriage so thatretraction of said sleeve will also retract said carriage and cause saidrollers to move the jaws toward gripping position, and a pawl releasemeans carried by said sleeve .and manually adjustable to disengage saidpawls from the rack so that, after the tooLhas been operated, the sleeveand carriage can be manually slid along the bar to the limit of theirmovement toward the jaw carrying end thereof.

(References-on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Grii-th 254-24 Tillberg 254--24 Taylor 294-115 Condon254-24 Giles 254-24 Neal 254--24 12/ 31 Anderson et a1 254-109 11/37Johnson 254-111 6/38 Egger 294-116 -'7/41 Schmidt 254-111 FOREIGNPATENTS 5/ 11 Great Britain. 4/ 21 Great Britain.

WTLLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

1. A TOOL OF THE KIND DESCRIBED COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER OF ANINVERTED T-SHAPE, A JAW SWINGABLY CARRIED BY EACH ARM OF THE T ANDSWINGABLE IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE STEM OF THE T, SAID JAWS HAVINGGRIPPING END PORTIONS POSITIONED TO ENGAGE IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAIDSTEM AND SLIGHTLY SPACED AWAY FROM THE JAW CARRYING END THEREOF, ACARRIAGE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER BETWEEN PORTIONS OF SAID JAWS,TWO ROLLERS CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE, EACH OF SAID JAWS HAVING A CAMSURFACE ENGAGED BY ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLERS TO SWING THEGRIPPING END PORTIONS OF SAID JAWS TOWARD EACH OTHER, AND LEVER OPERATEDMEANS CARRIED BY THE BAR AND OPERATIVELY RELATED TO SAID CARRIAGE TORETRACT IT AND THEREBY CAUSE SAID ROLLERS TO FORCE SAID JAWS TOWARDGRIPPING POSITION, SAID ROLLERS AT ALL TIMES OCCUPYING A PROTECTEDPOSITION BETWEEN SAID JAWS.